www.incontinentsupport.org

Hey all,

My urologist suggested I consider InterStim for my symptoms. I am willing to at least do the trial. Has anyone had experience with it? What were your initial symptoms and how did they improve? Did you have any adverse effects? Overall, how well has the device worked for you? Inquiring minds want to know!

Peace out!

Rob

_________________
"We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love" Mother Teresa

"THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!" - Captain Picard from Chain of Command, Part II

This has come up before. Here's a link to my absolutely horrible experience with it below. I stand by saying their 40% chance for a small improvement (they say half of 80% which equals 40%) is outweighed by the 60% chance it will go wrong like it did with me. I still say DON'T DO IT!

Mlhjr seems to have been lucky with it though, so if you want to roll the dice like we did then that's your choice.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2123&hilit=interstim

I've read about it, considered asking my doctor about it since the pills aren't working. I think I'm too early along to seriously consider it though. From what I've read, I'm quite skeptical. I'd need to really be convinced that it works. I've read a lot of stories that it produced adverse effects, resulted in additonal surgeries to adjust it, requires additional (minor) surgery to change batteries, and even after all that isn't a "cure" but just like pills can only hope to reduce symptoms.

I'd do a lot of research if I were you before agreeing to it.

"Based on a 5-year, prospective, multicenter trial evaluating the long-term safety and efficacy of sacral nerve neuromodulation in patients with refractory urge incontinence, van Kerrebroeck and coworkers13 reported on 152 patients in 17 centers worldwide undergoing implantation. Ninety-six had urge incontinence, 25 had urgency-frequency, and 31 had retention. Voiding diaries were collected annually for 5 years. At 5 years after implantation, 68% of patients with urge incontinence, 56% with urgency-frequency, and 71% with retention continued to have successful outcomes based on 50% or greater improvement from baseline."

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2672997/

For me, a 50% improvement isn't even close to something I'd call success. If I wet myself 10 times a day, and you get it down to 1 time a day, it's still not success to me. I'd still need diapers.

Ha, thats inflated.

Take those percentages of people and you get 65% of all participants. Of them, they are seeing a 50% improvement. That literally translates to an overall 32.5% success rate. Talk about inflating those numbers, and notice that real word outcome is even lower than the 40% success interstim themselves report.

Heck, if I was able to create and sell any product that only worked 1/3 of the time, I wouldn't be in business for very long. And yet you still find so many people and doctors who praise interstim so much, it's funny in a sad kind of way.

I've gone through the Medtronic trail. I was very impressed

I just had my Interstem put in yesterday.
When I got home I had to go. I put out urine for a minute. Before it was 10-12 seconds
I had to go every hour. Now I only go every 4 hours

I Recommend the Medtronic Interstem unit. I is far better than any diaper, catheter. No more money spent on diapers or sticking
something up me!!!

I went to a Neuouroligst A Urologist doesn'i mess with nerves, I guy who did my operation is a Nerve Doctor who specializes in nerves of the bladder